Governor

The normally quiet Minnesota state auditor’s race is suddenly heating up. Former Minnesota House leader Matt Entenza filed last-minute papers to run against fellow Democrat Rebecca Otto, who has been state auditor for the last eight years.

A scramble began Monday among four Republicans angling to be Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton’s fall opponent as the GOP headed for its first competitive gubernatorial primary in two decades. Party leaders are hopeful the 10-week race doesn’t turn nasty and hobble the eventual nominee. What the voter pool looks like come August is anyone’s guess.

Minnesota public employees who snoop in private information could soon face tougher consequences if they’re caught. A bill on Gov. Mark Dayton’s desk mandates that only public employees whose jobs require obtaining, accessing or viewing people’s non-public data may do so. Public employees are prohibited from using the private information in any way not outlined in their job descriptions.

State Sen. Dave Thompson reports having raised $120,000 last year toward his 2014 run for Minnesota governor. The Republican offered his tally Monday on his campaign website but didn’t say how much he has remaining after covering expenses.

Some Minnesota state employees stuck under a salary cap for 15 years may finally be in line for raises. Many of the state’s top jobs have been subject to a cap based on the governor’s pay. Many could get raises after the Legislature’s vote this year to increase salaries for the governor and agency commissioners for the first time since 1998.

A Republican candidate for governor says the executive director of Minnesota’s health insurance exchange should resign. Businessman Scott Honour is among a handful of Republicans seeking to challenge Gov. Mark Dayton next year.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton says he’s pleased with the progress of Minnesota’s health care exchange so far. The comments come after the federal rollout of Obamacare, which is plagued with problems. Minnesota’s health exchange went online Oct. 1 and has not had the widespread problems other states experienced.

Minnesota, of course, has had some pretty wacky elections. Topping them all, most would say, was the 1998 Governor’s race, where former pro-wrestler Jesse Ventura used some unconventional campaign commercials to help him ride to victory.

A conservative Minnesota State Senator is the latest candidate to jump into the 2014 race for Governor. Lakeville Republican Dave Thompson officially entered the race today promising as Governor to “get out of the way” of business.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is being slowed by a hip-muscle tear that an aide says could limit his public schedule while he recovers. Deputy Chief of Staff Bob Hume says the 66-year-old governor injured the muscle over the weekend and was checked out at the Mayo Clinic on Monday.

State Sen. Dave Thompson is joining the growing list of Republicans who plan to run for governor next year. Thompson tells The Associated Press he plans to file as a candidate Monday and launch his campaign Wednesday. He has represented Lakeville in the state Senate since 2011.

No Minnesota governor in almost two decades has won with a majority of the statewide vote, thanks mostly to a plucky third party whose candidates have been difference makers or, in the case of Jesse Ventura, the stunning victor.

The Republican candidate for governor in 2010 is trying for a political comeback as he joins the race to succeed Michele Bachmann in Congress. Tom Emmer was announcing his campaign Wednesday in his hometown of Delano. Emmer says his narrow 2010 governor’s race loss to Mark Dayton will make him a stronger candidate, and that he wants to follow in Bachmann’s footsteps fighting what he called “the ever-growing size of government.”